Method and means for shaping shoe upper materials to the contour of a last



Dec. 27, 1938. E L CHAPELLE 2,141,213

METHOD 'AND MEANS FOR S HAPING SHOE UPPER MATERIALS TO THE CONTOUR OF LAST Filed Feb. 21, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 27, 1938.

E. LA CHAPELLE METHOD AND MEANS FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPER MATERIALS TOTHE CONTOUR OF A LAST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &? f 82 9a gg F1572 94 v 3 98 95 g 93 5e 92 51,! 52

ms 2 m0 /6 @425" S 55, k fl o 0 78 l 26 I. \v I /2Z I Hui M2 40 /40 2a 54 58 I 92 w 98 92 /6 94 4 95 j 6 9a 9% 9984 A 72 //\/l E/\/7L7/1 z fl /06 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

METHOD MEANS FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPER MATERIALS TO THE CONTOUR OF A LAST Application February 21, 1938, Serial No. 191,632

bottom face of the last while pressure and heat are applied to the upper materials to shape them to the contour of the last. In accordance with the illustrated practice the upper materials at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last are worked heightwise of the last toward its bottom face by the use of rubber faced wiping tools, after which the upper materials are wiped toward the bottom face of the last by the use of unheated metal-faced wiping tools arranged to press them more firmly against the opposite side faces of the last and are then again wiped toward the bottom face of the last by the use of heated metal-faced tools, the heat tending to shrink the upper materials and to set them in shaped condition close to the edge of the bottom face of the last. The shoe is thus prepared better for the subsequent heel seat lasting operation, the shaping of the upper materials to the contour of the heel endof the last, in the manner above described, tending to prevent the formation of wrinkles therein close to the edge of the last bottom as the margins of the upper materials are wiped inwardly over the bottom of the last by the wipers of the heel seat lasting machine. It is further contemplated that in operating upon shoes the outer layer of the upper materials of which is made of patent leather a thin coating of vaseline may be applied to the patent leather in order to prevent any danger of'damaging the finish on the outer layer as the heat is applied to assist in setting the upper materials in shaped condition.

In a further aspect the invention provides a novel machine organization particularly adapted for shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel end of the last in accordance with the above-mentioned method. Forthe purpose in view the construction shown comprises a plurality of upper shaping or wiping devices, and means for effecting relative movement of these devices and the shoe 55 to wipe the upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last repeatedly heightwise of the last toward its bottom face. The machine herein shown is provided with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, and with means for moving the wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face, one of the wiping devices having its upper engaging faces formed of rubber to increase its frictional pull on the upper. In order to assist in settingthe upper in shaped condition and in eliminatingwrinkles, there is provided in the machine herein shown, in accordance with a further feature, means for maintaining another one of the wiping devices in a heated condition to apply heat to the upper. There is further provided, in accordance with still another feature' of the invention, a device that is movable with the wiping devices for applying a lubricant to the upper prior to the action of the heated wiping device on the upper, and means for rendering this lubricant-applying device operative or inoperative at will. In the construction shown each upper shaping or wiping device comprises a pair of holders one at each side of the shoe, the holders of each device being carried at the outer ends of a pair of parallel arms. Yieldingly mounted in each holder are a plurality of upper-engaging members, the upperengaging members at the opposite sides of the shoe having their upper-engaging faces shaped to conform substantially to the Opposite edge curvatures of the bottom face of the heel-end portion of the last. As the upper-shaping devices are moved in succession heightwise of the shoe by the different pairs of parallel arms the upper-engaging members of each device act on the upper to press it against the opposite side faces of the last and to wipe it heightwise of the last toward its bottom face. Preferably and as shown, the device for applying a lubricant to the upper is substantially a duplicate of the upper-shaping devices except that its upperengaging members are faced with felt to apply the lubricant, and the pair of parallel arms carrying this device are formed in two parts relatively adjustable to position the holders of the device either in operative or inoperative relation to each other and the shoe.

The above and other features of the invention,

-including various novel details of construction the arm 28.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in left-hand side elevation of a machine adapted for use in carrying out the novel method and embodying novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in section of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with one of the upper shaping devices in engagement with the shoe; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of a holder of one of the upper shaping devices with the cover plate removed to show more clearly the construction of the upper-engaging members.

The illustrated machine is provided with uppershaping devices, hereinafter more particularly referred to, for wiping the heel-end portions of shoe upper materials at the opposite sides of the last heightwise of the last toward its bottom face repeatedly while applying pressure and heat to the upper materials to shape them to the contour of the heel-end portion of the last prior to the heel-seat lasting operation. The upper-shaping devices I 0, I2 and I4 (Fig. 1) are carried respectively on the outer ends of different pairs of parallel arms I6, I8 and 20, the arms carrying the several tools that operate at the same side.of the shoe having a common hub portion pinned to a shaft 22. The shaft 22 is supported in bearings at the upper ends of spaced arms 26, 28 (Fig. 2) that extendupwardly from the base 30 of the machine. As illustrated, the bearings for the shaft 22 are formed partly in the arms 26, 28 and partly in caps 32, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, that are secured to the arms by screws 34. The right-hand end portion of the shaft 22 (Fig. 2) is supported by a bearing 36 projecting upwardly from the base 30, and surrounding the shaft 22 between a finished surface 38 on the arm 28 and a collar 40 pinned to the shaft is a bushing 42 upon which there is rotatably mounted a worm wheel 44 which is held against endwise movement on the bushing 42 by means of the collar 40 and a ball thrust bearing 46 between the worm wheel and the finished surface 38 on Engaging the teeth of the worm wheel 44 is a. worm 48 (Fig. 1) fast to a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 50 mounted in suitable bearings on the base 30 and having fast to its outer end a pulley 52 continuously driven by means of a belt (not herein shown). The worm wheel 44 is provided with an internal friction clutch face 54 (Fig. 2) arranged to cooperate with a clutch member 56 slidingly mounted for lengthwise movement on the shaft 22 and which is arranged to engage a stationary brake surface 58 when it is not in engagement with the clutch face 54. The clutch member 56 is connected to the shaft 22 by a key 60 which projects into a lengthwise slot 62 formed in the clutch member. Surrounding the shaft 22 between a collar 64 pinned to the shaft and the hub of the clutch member is a spring 66 which tends to move the clutch member 56 into engagement with the clutch face 54. The hub of the clutchmember is provided with an annular groove 68 into which extends a roll I0 carried by a hand lever I2 pivotally connected at I4 to a boss I6 formed on the bearing 36. A cam I8 on the hub of the clutch member 56 acts by engagement with the roll I0 to hold the clutch member 56 against the resistance of the spring 66 in engagement with the stationary brake surface 58. It will be evident that the operator may trip the clutch to start the machine by swinging the hand lever I2 in a direction to move the roll "I0 out of engagement with the cam I8, the spring 86 then acting to move the clutch member 56 into engagement with the clutch face 54 on the continuously driven worm wheel 44. A spring 80 (Fig. 1) connected at one end to the hand lever I2 and at the other end to the base 30 acts to swing the hand lever, when released by the operator, in the direction to move the roll I0 into position to be engaged by the cam I8 and to cause the clutch member 58 to be moved into engagement with the brake surface 58 to stop the machine.

Each one of the upper-shaping devices III, I2 and I4 comprises a pair of holders 82, the holders of each device being secured to the outer ends of their respective supporting arms each by a nut and washer 84 threaded on the end of a shank portion 85 that is formed on the holder and that projects through a bore in the arm. Mounted in each holder 80 are a plurality of upper-engaging members or blocks 88, herein illustrated as three in number (Fig. 3), the blocks in the holders at the opposite sides of the shoe having their upperengaging faces curved to conform substantially to the opposite edge curvatures of the bottom face of the heel-end portion of the last. Each holder 82 is provided with a recess 88 to receive the blocks 86 which are held against movement heightwise of the shoe relatively to each other and to the holder by a cover plate 80 secured to the holder by screws 92. Formed on each block 86 is a shank portion 94 extending through an opening 96 in the holder and having pinned to its outer end a collar 88. Surrounding each shank portion 84 between a shoulder I00 on the block and the rear wall I02 of the recess 88 is a spring I04, the springs I04 tending normally to hold the blocks 86 in each holder in the positions shown in Fig. 3 with the collars 88 in engagement with the outer face I06 of the holder 82.

The machine is provided with a shoe support or jack comprising a slide I08 which is vertically movable in guideways formed at the front of the base 30. Formed integral with the slide I08 is an upwardly extending post H0 on the upper end of which is slidingly mounted for movements in directions lengthwise of the shoe a block H2 arranged to engage the top face of the heel-end portion of the last, the block H2 being provided with a spindle .I I4 arranged to extend into the spindle hole in the heel end of the last. For supporting the last and shoe against the upwardly directed pressure of the upper-shaping devices there is provided a holddown I I6 for engaging the bottom face of the heel-end portion of the shoe. The holddown H6 is secured by screws H8 to an arm I (Fig. 2) that extends upwardly from the base 30 between the arms 26 and 28, the upper portion of the arm I20 being bored to receive the shaft 22. A spring I 24 bearing at its lower end against a projection I26 on the base 30 and at its upper end against a shoulder formed within a recess in a projection I28 on the slide I08 tends to impart upward movement to the slide and to hold a last and shoe mounted on the spindle H4 and block H2 clamped against the holddown H6. For lowering the shoe support to permit a last and shoe to be removed from the spindle H2 and another shoe to be mounted thereon, there is pivotally connected to the base 30 at I30 a treadle I32 connected by a link I34 to the slide I08.

In the course of the operation of the machine the upper-shaping devices I0, I2 and I4 are moved successively, in that order, relatively to the shoe supporting means to wipe the upper materials at the opposite sides of the heel end s 8,141,818 of the last heightwise of the 1m toward its bottom face. Preferably the holders 02 of each device are so located relatively toeach other laterally of the shoe that the upper-engaging faces of the blocks of each device are spaced apart to provide an opening that is narrower than the width of the bottom face of the heel-end portion of the smallest shoe to be operated upon so that to cause the device II as it is moved relativelyas the shaping devices are moved relatively to the shoe to wipe the upper materials the blocks 00 yield laterally of the shoe relatively to one another and to their holders 02 against the resistance'of the springs I04 and press the upper materials against the opposite side faces of the last. 'The upper-engaging faces of the blocks 00 of the shaping device. II are formed of rubber to the shoe to tension the upper materials frictionally heightwise .of the last, and the springs I04 of the shaping device I2 which is provided with metal-faced blocks 00 are of greater capacity than the springs I04 of the devices I0 and I4 so that more substantial pressure is applied to the ing unit I36, one of which is shown in Fig. l,

and from each unit electrical conductors I00 lead to contact rings I40 fast to the arms l6, I0 and 20, insulating rings I42 being provided between the contact rings and the arms I0, I0 and 20. Engaging the contact rings I 40 are brushes I45 mounted in the arm I and from the brushes electrical conductors mounted within a flexible cable I44 lead to a switch box I40 on the base of the machine. From the arms 20 the heat is conducted through the holders 02 to the blocks 06.

In operating upon shoes the outer layer of the upper materials of which is made of patent leather it is desirable in order to avoid any danger of damaging the finish on the outer layer to apply a thin coating of vaseline to the patent leather beforeiapplying heat thereto to assist in setting the upper materialsin shaped condition. For this purpose there is provided a device I48 which is substantially a duplicate of the uppershaping devices I0, I2 .and I4 except that the springs I04 of this device are comparatively light and the blocks are faced with felt or other suitabe material to which vaseline may be applied by the operator. The device I is carried on the outer ends of a pair of parallel arms I50 that project from the common hub portions of the parallel arms I0, I0 and 20 substantially opposite to the arms I6 and between the .arms I0 and 20 (Fig. 1). Each arm I50 is formed in two parts pivotally connected together at I52. The outer.

portion I54 of each arm carries a spring-pressed plunger I50 arranged to enter either one of a pair of recesses I58, I00 formed inthe-inner portion of the arm. Secured to the upper end of each plunger I50 is a knurled knob I62 by means of which the operator may disengage the plungers from the inner portions of the arms and swing the outer portions of the arms relatively to the inner portions to move the holders of the device toward or away from each other to render the device either operative. or inoperative as desired, the holders of the device I40 being positioned in operative relation to each other and to ashoe mounted on the spindle II4 when the plungers I50 are in engagement with the inner portions of the arms III in the recesses I50, and out of operative relation to each other and the shoe when the plungers are in engagement with the inner portions of the arms in the recesses I 00.

In the operation of the machine the operator, after depressing the treadle I02 to lower the shoe S pport, mounts a last and shoe on the spindle I I4 and moves the block 'I I2 and shoe either rearwardly or forwardly to position the shoe with the bottom face of its heel-end portion under the holddown III and then releases the treadle In to permit the spring I24 to move the shoe support upwardly and to press the bottom of the shoe against the holddown. It will be understood that before the shoe is presented tothe machine it will have been previously lasted at least along the opposite sides of the shank portion of the down the operator swings the hand lever I2 in a direction to movethe roll 10 out of engagement' with the cam 10 to start the machine, whereupon the upper-shaping device I0. engages the upper materials frictionally at the opposite sides of the last and tensions them heightwise of the last toward its bottom face,- after which the upper materials are wiped heightwise of the last by the upper-shaping device I2, which acts to press the upper materials more firmly against the opposite side faces of the heel-end portion of the last, and then by the heated shapingde-.

vices I4. It will be understood that the operator '-may render the device I40 operative to apply a thin film of vaseline to the outer. layer of the upper materials if desired in operating, for example, on shoes the outer layer of the upper materials of which is made of patent leather. It will be evident that as-the heel-end portions of the upper materials are thus tensioned heightwise of the last toward its bottom face and are also wiped height-- wise of the last and are pressed firmly against the opposite side faces of the last any wrinkles or other surface irregularities that may have been formed in the upper materials are eliminated and the upper materials are shaped to conform substantially to the heightwise curvatures of the opposite lateral faces of the heel-end portion of the last, the heat applied to the upper materials by the shaping device I4 tending to shrink the upper materials andto set them in shaped condition with the marginal portions of the upper materials close to the edge of the bottom face of the last. This treatment of the upper materials contributes toward the production of a better lasted shoe since it tends to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the upper materials close to the edge of the last 'bottom in the subsequent heel seat lasting opera- .of'the- United States is:

1. That method of shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel endof alast prior to the heel seat lasling shoe. With the shoe clamped against the holdoperation which consists in engaging the upper materials frictionally at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last and. working them heightwise of the last toward its bottom face, and then wiping the same portions of the upper materials heightwise of the last and in the wiping operation applying pressure and heat to said materials to assist in shaping them to the contour of the last.

2. That method of shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel end of a last prior to the heel seat lasting operation which consists in wiping the upper materials heightwise of the last toward its bottom face repeatedly while pressing said materials against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and in the course of the wiping operation applying heat to said materials'to assist in shaping them to the contour of the last.

3. That method of shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel end of a last prior to the heel seat lasting operation which consists in pressing the upper materials against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and wiping them toward its bottom face without the application of heat thereto, and thereafter again wiping the same portions of the upper materials heightwise of the last while applying heat to said materials.

4. That method of shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel end of a last prior to the heel seat lasting operation which consists in pressing the upper materials against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and wiping them toward the bottom face of the last without the application of heat thereto, applying a lubricant to the outer layer of the upper materials, and thereafter again wiping the same portion of the upper materials heightwise of the last while applyingheat to said materials.

5. That method of shaping the heel-end portion of shoe upper materials to the contour of the heel end of a last prior to the heel seat lasting operation which consists in tensioning the upper materials at the heel end of the last heightwise of the last toward its bottom face by the use of rubber-faced tools, then pressing the upper materials firmly against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and wiping them heightwise of the last toward its bottom face by the use of unheated metal-faced tools, and thereafter again wiping the Same portions of the upper materials by the use of heated metal-faced tools.

6. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices, and means for effecting relative movement of said wiping devices and the shoe to wipe the upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last repeatedly heightwise of the last toward its bottom face.

'7. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press the shoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, and means for moving said wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face.

8. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of an unheated wiping device, a heated wiping device, and means for effecting relative movement of said devices and the shoe to wipe the upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last heightwise of the last toward its bottom face.

9. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press the shoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, one of said devices having its upper-engaging faces formed of rubber and another one of said devices having its upper-engaging faces formed of metal, and means for effecting relative movement of said wiping devices and the shoe to wipe the upper repeatedly heightwise of the last toward its bottom face.

10. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press the shoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, one of said wiping devices having its upper engaging faces formed of rubber to increase its frictional pull on the upper, and a plurality of carriers for moving said wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face to wipe the upper.

11. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press the shoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, means for moving said wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face, and means for maintaining one of said wiping devices in a heated condition.

12. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press theshoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, means for moving said wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face, means for maintaining one of said wiping devices in a heated condition, and a device movable with said wiping devices for applying a lubricant to the upper prior to the action of said heated device on the upper.

13. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of wiping devices each arranged to engage and press the shoe upper at the opposite sides of the heel end of the last, means for moving said wiping devices in succession heightwise of the last toward its bottom face, means for maintaining one of said wiping devices in a heated condition, a device movable with said wiping devices for applying a lubricant to the upper prior to the action of said heated device on the upper, and means for rendering said lubricantapplying device operative or inoperative at will.

14. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for positioning a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of upper-shaping devices, each comprising a plurality of members arranged to engage and press the upper yieldingly against the opposite side faces of the last, and means for effecting relative movement of said devices and the shoe to wipe the upper repeatedly toward the bottom face of the last.

15. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for positioning a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of a plurality of upper-shaping devices movable in succession heightwise of the shoe toward its bottom face to wipe the heel end of the upper, said devices each comprising a plurality of members arranged to engage and press the upper yieldingly against the opposite side faces of the last.

16. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for positioning a last and shoe having its heel end uniasted, of a plurality of upper-shaping devices movable in succession heightwise of the shoe toward its bottom face to wipe the' heel end of the upper, said devices each comprising a plurality of members arranged to engage and press the upper yieldingly against the opposite side faces of the last, the upper-engaging members of one of said devices having rubber upper-engaging faces to increase their frictional pull on the upper.

17. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for positioning a last and shoe having its heel end uniasted, of a pinrality of upper-shaping devices movable in succession heightwise of the shoe toward its bottom face to wipe the heel end of the upper, said devices each comprising a plurality of upperengaging members at the opposite sides of the shoe, and separate spring means for forcing each of said upper-engaging members against the shoe.

18. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end uniasted, of a plurality of upper-shaping devices each comprising a pair of holders one at each side of the shoe, a plurality of upper-engaging members yieldingly mounted in each of said holders, the upperengaging members of each device at the opposite sides of the shoe havingtheir upper-engaging faces curved to conform substantially to the opposite edge curvatures of the bottom face of the heel-end portion of the last, and means for moving said devices in succession heightwise of the last to wipe the upper toward the bottom face of the last.

19. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination withimeans for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end uniasted, of different devices each comprising a pair of holders one at each side of the shoe, a plurality of upperengaging members yieldingly mounted in each .of said holders, and different pairs of parallel arms for supporting said holders, said arms being rotatable about a common axis extending laterally of the shoe to move said devices in succession heightwise of the shoe to cause said upper-engaging members to press the upper against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and to wipe the upper toward the bottom face of the last.

20. In a machine for operating on shoes, the combination with means for supporting a last and shoe having its heel end unlasted, of different devices each comprising a pair of holders one at each side of the shoe, a plurality of upperengaging members yieldingly mounted in each of said holders, diiferent pairs of parallel arms for supporting said holders and for moving them in succession heightwise of the shoe to cause said upper-engaging members to press the upper against the opposite side faces of the heel end of the last and to wipe the upper toward the bottom face of the last, electrical heating units mounted in one of said pairs of parallel arms for maintaining the upper-engaging members of one of said devices in-a heated condition, and the upper-engaging members of another one of said devices having their upper-engaging faces formed of felt for applying a lubricant to the upper prior ,to the action of said heated members on the upper, the parallel arms for supporting the holders of said last-named device being formed in two parts relatively adjustable to render the device operative or inoperative at will.

EUCLID I. LA CHAPELLE. 

